LAWMAKERS APPROVE 'ANTI-ARIZONA' IMMIGRATION BILL : SACRAMENTO (AP) — Illegal immigrants arrested for minor offenses will no longer have to fear deportation if a bill approved by the state Senate becomes law.
San Francisco Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano said he wrote AB1081 because a federal policy requiring local law enforcement to check the immigration status of an arrestee wastes resources and erodes trust.
It passed 21-13 Thursday on party lines and moves to the Assembly.
Under the bill, officers would only refer people convicted of serious felonies to immigration officials. They would no longer detain lower-level offenders on immigration holds.
The bill has been dubbed "anti-Arizona" legislation, a reference to Arizona's "show me your papers" law recently upheld by the Supreme Court.
Ammiano says the vote shows "that California cannot afford to be another Arizona."
2 MORE ARRESTED IN SUSPECTED PIMP KILLING IN SF: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Police have arrested two more people in connection with the fatal shooting of a man a San Francisco couple suspected was pimping and beating their daughter.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/MCloae) that 26-year-old Antonio Gilton and 35-year-old Alfonso Williams pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possessing a firearm as convicted felons.
Police initially said 38-year-old Barry Gilton and his girlfriend, 37-year-old Lupe Mercado, murdered 22-year-old Calvin Sneed after learning their 17-year-old daughter might be working as a prostitute for him. Sneed was shot in his car on June 4.
The pair pleaded not guilty. Their relationship to the two men arrested Wednesday is not clear
Attorneys for the couple say Sneed had been pimping the girl, but say the couple did not kill Sneed.
TODDLER KICKING SUSPECT DEEMED UNFIT FOR TRIAL: ARCATA (AP) — A Northern California woman charged with kicking a 16-month-old girl into the air and against a wall outside a restaurant has been deemed unfit to stand trial.
The Times-Standard of Eureka reports that 28-year-old Molly Faye Barnes will be committed to Napa State Hospital. In the meantime, a Humboldt County judge has suspended criminal proceedings against her.
Barnes, a transient, is accused of kicking the child for no reason outside the restaurant in Arcata in April. The girl suffered moderate injuries.
Barnes has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted homicide.
FAMILY CHARGED WITH ABUSING DISABLED IN HOME: SAN JOSE (AP) — A San Jose family is being charged with 'severely neglecting' a dozen mentally disabled adults in their care.
The Santa Clara County district attorney's office filed dependent-abuse and animal neglect charges Thursday. The five family members were arrested Monday and released on bail.
Police say they found a home full of dog feces, locks on the refrigerator and residents who said they bathed once a month, on the day they visited doctors. Many of the alleged victims are Vietnamese immigrants who speak little English.
Kathy Le, George Dac Nguyen, Jennifer Ngo, Charles Nguyen and Margaret Ngo will be arraigned July 16.
PAROLEE, POLICE DOG PLUNGE THROUGH FRESNO CEILING : FRESNO (AP) — A wanted parolee has been arrested in Fresno after crashing through an apartment ceiling along with a police officer and police dog.
Police went to an apartment complex Tuesday afternoon to look for the 33-year-old gang member. Family members said he'd climbed into the attic when officers knocked at the door.
Police sent a dog into the attic from a vacant apartment next door and found the man hiding in the insulation. Police say the man fought with the dog and an officer until all three fell through the ceiling into the vacant unit.
The parolee was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and was booked on suspicion of receiving stolen property and possession of illegal narcotics.
Police say he could face charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a police dog.
SMALL QUAKE SHAKES SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS: BIG BEAR LAKE AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey says a small earthquake has occurred in the San Bernardino Mountains northeast of Big Bear Lake.
The 11:18 a.m. Thursday tremor had a preliminary magnitude of 3.5 and occurred at a depth of about 2 ½ miles.
The USGS says the epicenter was three miles north of Big Bear City and 82 miles east-northeast of Los Angeles.
DEPUTY HURT IN TAHOE MELEE; MORE THAN 20 ARRESTS: STATELINE, Nev. (AP) — A sheriff's deputy was hurt and several people arrested when a fight broke at Lake Tahoe after a July 4 fireworks celebration along the main casino strip at Stateline.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Thursday the deputy injured a knee when an unruly crowd of 100 to 150 turned ugly just after 11 p.m. Wednesday at the California state line.
The statement said officers responded to a fight outside Harrah's hotel-casino and were assisting an injured man on the ground when another man pushed a deputy, touching off the melee.
Sheriff's deputies say they arrested 21 people but haven't specified which were tied directly to the fight. Charges range from obstructing and battery of a peace officer, to disorderly conduct and minor consuming alcohol.
South Lake Tahoe police reported an additional 22 arrests on the California side of the line between 12 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday.
COACHELLA PROMOTERS FIGHT TAX PROPOSAL : INDIO (AP) — Promoters say the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals may leave Indio if a proposed tax makes it to the ballot and is approved by voters.
The draft measure would impose a 5 percent to 10 percent tax on admissions to entertainment events of more than 2,500 people in Indio.
The City Council declined to consider the tax on June 6. A city councilman has vowed to petition to get it on the November ballot.
Goldenvoice President Paul Tollett says that would mean a $4 million to $6 million tax.
Tollett says if the tax is approved, 2013 would be the last year for Coachella and Stagecoach in Indio, take a hiatus in 2014 and bring back the festival at a different venue in 2015.
